Sermatech and Samsung Aerospace have formed a joint venture to apply protective coatings to turbine engines. The new company, known as Sermatech Korea, is based at Samsung's Changwon, Korea, factory.
An FAA meeting in January to address problems related to the aging general aviation fleet largely became an information gathering session during which representatives of GA conveyed a message that there is more support for old designs than the FAA may be aware of, but that obtaining information, including original and supplemental certification data and drawings and maintenance information, remains a significant problem for the community. Approximately 125 people attended the session called by the FAA's Small Airplane Directorate.
Frustrated with waiting months for Avionics Displays Corp. (ADC) to deliver its flat-panel displays, Tucson-based Universal Avionics Systems Corp. (UASC) bought the company. Over the past two years, Norcross, Ga.-based ADC's development and production assets were stretched thin by long-term projects, delaying UASC's new family of LCD flat-panel displays for more than 12 months.
At first glance, Internet-based parts ordering from corporate operators doesn't seem too impressive a business sector for parts distributing leader Aviall: Corporate aviation accounts for about 20 to 25 percent of its business, according to Vice President Sales&Marketing Jim Quinn; Internet orders are but five percent of the business. But then you hear the growth number: ``The growth rate for the B/CA reader is about 16 percent -- per week,'' Quinn said.
Global Express operators will have the option of installing a BAe Systems (formerly GEC-Marconi) HUD2020 Visual Guidance System by September, according to Kevin Hoffman, chairman of Aerospace Concepts, a completion weight-reduction and consulting firm based in Montreal. The BAe Systems Head-Up Display (HUD) is offered as an alternative to the Sextant Avionique Head-up Flight Display System (HFDS), now Bombardier's factory-standard HUD option for the Global Express.
In a ruling that could cost Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) as much as $100 million, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that proceeds from landing fees must be used for airport operating expenses, not added to a municipality's general fund as alleged in an Air Transport Association (ATA) lawsuit. The ATA's Carol Hallett claims LAX now will have to refund $100 million in airline landing fees, funds the trade group says were diverted from airport programs that benefit its member airlines. The city of Los Angeles pushed the Supreme Court appeal, after the DOT and U.S.
This year, the U.S. DOT will report on airline efforts to prevent consumer access to the lowest ticket prices, as well as the practice of flight overbooking. The DOT's Office of the Inspector General also will review the airlines' implementation of their ``Airline Customer Service Commitments,'' which took effect on December 15, 1999. The DOT will provide an interim report to Congress on June 15, and a final report by the end of the year.
Widespread fuel contamination has led Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to ground thousands of piston-engine aircraft and a smaller number of turbine aircraft, pending further study. According to CASA, 100/130 avgas (green) produced at Mobil Australia's Altona, Victoria refinery contains a corrosion inhibitor that fouls aircraft fuel systems and could lead to engine failure.
Keystone Helicopter and Turbomecca Engine ended negotiations for the sale of Keystone's engine division in West Chester, Pa. Keystone continues to be a Turbomecca Service Center.
Seven passengers and three crewmembers were killed in the crash of a Crossair Saab 340B, en route from Zurich to Dresden, Germany on January 10. Crossair Flight 498 departed Zurich at 5:54 p.m. in good weather and disappeared from radar two minutes later without any indication of problems from the flight crew. The wreckage was discovered in Niederhalsi, just north of Zurich.
Taughannock Aviation Corp. (TAC) of Utica, N.Y, has terminated its financial relationship with Winfair, Ltd., a Toronto-based holding company. Winfair acquired all of TAC's stock in a leveraged buyout, but defaulted on the notes in March 1999. In late December, Winfair returned the stock to TAC's three original shareholders -- Robert Thomas, Roger Dennis and Steve Selover -- as part of a settlement agreement. TAC is the only FBO at Tompkins County Airport (KITH), and recently completed construction of a new maintenance hangar, plus an above-ground fuel storage area.
Nine people were killed in two separate crashes in December 1999 -- one of business aviation's safest years ever. On December 9, a Cessna CitationJet crashed into a hillside near Branson, Miss., in IMC, killing the two pilots and four passengers. Three days later, an IAI Westwind carrying two pilots and Seattle businessman Peter La Haye, Sr. crashed near Gouldsboro, Pa., while en route from Boeing Field in Seattle on a nonstop flight to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey.
Despite statements on Kansas City, Mo.'s official Web site saying the facility is ``ripe for aeronautical development,'' Richards-Gebaur Memorial Airport has closed. After a protracted legal and public opinion battle over the airport's fate, residents voted in favor of a plan that would close the former U.S. Air Force base. A rail-truck freight hub developed by Kansas City Southern Railway will replace the general aviation facility.
A coalition of aviation industry trade groups is looking for an ``environmentally friendly'' replacement for 100LL avgas to be phased in over the next few years. Toward this goal, the Aviation Industry Coalition for Piston Aircraft Environmental Strategy -- made up of representatives of AOPA, the Experimental Aircraft Association, GAMA, the National Air Transportation Association and the NBAA -- intends to gather information about existing research efforts and plans, and run cost-benefit analyses of each.
U.K.-charter operator Twinjet added an Airbus A319CJ to its fleet. The aircraft is configured with two private compartments seating up to 10 passengers with a third compartment with 24 airline-style first-class seats.
Nearly two years after its inception, the leasing venture between Gulfstream Aerospace and GATX Leasing has delivered its first aircraft, a new G-IVSP, into operational service with an unnamed U.S. corporation. In addition to the G-IVSP, the Gulfstream Lease program includes five G-Vs, with delivery of the first G-V planned for late this year. The program retains options on six more aircraft, with delivery dates between 2001 and 2004.
UPS-AT (nee II Morrow) has developed a Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)-compatible GPS engine, one capable of improved navigational accuracy, integrity and higher signal availability than the current generation of IFR-certified GPS receivers. Developed in conjunction with NavCom Technology, a Redondo Beach, Calif.-based GPS engineering firm, the unit will equip UPS Airlines' entire fleet of 229 jet freighters, and integrate smoothly with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) hardware now being tested.
Saying the deal probably ``wouldn't have gotten done'' if Gulfstream pushed him to do it ``the old-fashioned way,'' billionaire Mark Cuban purchased a Gulfstream V on the Internet. The broadcast.com founder says he researched on the manufacturer's Web site and then arranged a demo flight and negotiated the purchase via e-mail. It is believed to be the largest purchase made on the Internet.
Photograph: Low aircraft utilization led UPS to pick the Boeing 727-100 for passenger charters. United Parcel Service (UPS) is a growing presence in the leisure charter market, nearly three years after it began hauling passengers in five converted Boeing 727-100 freighters. According to Paul Martins, UPS's manager of air charter services, the goal in creating the passenger operation was to increase aircraft utilization, enhance the UPS brand, and most importantly, to turn a profit.
Computer systems designer GIRO Inc. is designing a Web-based maintenance tracking system for British Aerospace (BAe) regional aircraft. Initially, the Electronic Fleet Data Management System (EFDMS) will allow operators to monitor maintenance trends via the Web, with future capabilities to include online technical logs, pilot reports and other functions. The basic system should be available in June. BAe sells and leases such regional aircraft as the BAe-146, Avro RJ, ATP and Jetstream.
Columbia Air of Groton, Conn., has appointed L. Brydon Knibbs as director of operations of its FAR Part 135 charter operation. Columbia also is a New Piper and Sino Swearingen factory distributor, and recently opened a Central and South American sales office in Bogota, Colombia. Fabio Ospina is the company's Latin American representative; he can be reached at 57-1-612-4799. Columbia's goal is to buy and sell used aircraft ``throughout all of South America,'' says company President Harry Holt.
